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“Are you secure at the moment?”
“Yes, sir. We just closed up the house, and I was about to take Maddy to catch her flight.”
“Get out of there and head to the airport. If you can get Maddy on her flight, get that done. Stay put at the airport. My original order stands. We’ll be evacuating the embassy in a matter of hours, and we’ll meet you at the airport. There’s a C-17 coming in to pick us up.”
“Copy that.”
The sun was going down, and it would be night soon. His duffel with all his gear was in the hall, including his night vision goggles. His best bet would be to change, get everyone loaded up and out of there just as Tex ordered. They really didn’t have much time to waste. Once night fell, it would be even more difficult to defend this place from any kind of force.
He went to his duffel and changed into his camos, grabbing his helmet, his load-out vest, and his backpack, along with his sidearm, his M4, and spare mags for the semi-automatic rifle.
He threw some mags toward Benard, and he caught them, tucking them into his pockets. Both Shark and the Marine were carrying pistols that used NATO standard ammo. Cassidy smiled when Shark threw him a box of ammo for his M18.
“We’re going to load up in the SUV and drive to the airport,” Shark said, then he looked at Fabrice’s child. It wasn’t safe for the kid to be held in his mom’s lap, but they had no child car seat for him. What would be the next best thing?
He strode over to Maddy, and she rose to meet him. “What is it?” she asked.
“We need something to protect the baby on the way to the airport. We don’t know what kind of situation we’re going to get into.”
Maddy thought for a moment and said, “Esther. She has several car seats for her grandchildren. I could call her and have her come over with one.”
“That means someone is going to have to ride in the hatchback,” Cassidy said, watching the front. He glanced back toward the group.
“I’ll take the back,” Benard volunteered. “If we get attacked on the way, I can cover our rear. Our only hope is to get to the airport. If we’re caught, the prime minister will execute us all. There is no doubt in my mind this is what he is planning, and he has no choice. We all know the truth about what really happened at the palace.” He looked away. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Baptiste, but I was one of the men who held down your husband. I was ordered to do it, but it doesn’t excuse me from my participation in his death.”
Fabrice’s voice caught on a sob, fresh tears slipping down her face. “We were all under the prime minister’s thumb. All subject to his deception and cruelty.”
Maddy got on the phone and talked for several minutes. When she hung up, she smiled. “She’s on her way. I told her some story about the car seat for my friend breaking, and we needed to get to the airport. She doesn’t live far from here.”
About twenty minutes later, Shark’s internal clock was shouting at him to get going, but after all that Fabrice and that kid had been through in the last few hours, he couldn’t put the baby at risk when they had an alternative. Esther was finally at the door with the much-needed car seat. Maddy greeted her, the cook’s gray fizzled hair was pulled back in a braid, a simple dress beneath the apron she still wore. She must have been in the middle of dinner. What a nice lady to come and help out Maddy. Her weathered face creased into a huge smile when Maddy hugged and thanked her profusely.
They kept Cassidy, Benard, Fabrice, and the baby out of sight. It wouldn’t be good if Esther recognized Cassidy. Not that she’d give them away, it just put the kind cook in a bad position.
Esther left and Maddy came toward him. “Let’s get this installed and head out. I still have time to catch my flight.”
Shark followed her into the garage while Fabrice changed her son on the living room couch. He rushed ahead and opened the door, taking the car seat out of her hands. “Let me get that for you,” he said gruffly, so aware of her as a woman. The woman who had soothed him after he’d spilled his guts. He wanted to be honest and was glad that he was. It felt completely odd to feel so close to a human being, he’d been his own outcast for such a long time, but this precious woman was making him whole again, and he didn’t want to lose her. He would die for her.
He set the seat in the center of the backseat and secured it to the frame of the car. When he was sure it was correctly and safely installed, he turned to her.
She swept her loose hair behind her ear, then looked at him, trying to pull up a smile. “You are very bossy when you’re being helpful,” she murmured.
He smiled back. “I was in commando mode.”
She stared at him with a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “While installing a car seat. That’s some dangerous business there,” she said, her voice very soft. He watched her for a moment, wondering why she was avoiding looking at him. His gut clenching, he straightened and reached out and cupped her chin. He didn’t like her like this. It was as if all the energy and brightness had been sucked right out of her. Keeping his expression neutral, he said, “Do you need anything?”
She shook her head, exhaustion etched on her face. He tried to ease his own expression. It was easy to freak out in this kind of situation, but Maddy was holding her own. “Let’s get loaded up and out of here,” he said.
She looked up at him and he just reacted. He pulled her against him, and the instant their bodies connected, she turned her face into his chest and grabbed the back of his camo shirt, a shudder coursing through her. His lungs suddenly tight, he gave her a quick, reassuring squeeze, then took her hand and started for the house. He went to release her hand, but there was something about the way she was gripping his hand that got to him. He couldn’t let go, not when she was holding on so tight.
Feeling as if his heart was suddenly too big for his chest, he entered the house. She needed more than just handholding, but this was all he could spare right now. He stopped and bent down and kissed her mouth briefly. Something sweet and soothing unfolded in his chest, closely followed by another, more sobering emotion. Feeling a little too exposed, he shifted his gaze and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
This time she let go of his hand, well aware that the time for comfort was over. He called out. “Let’s go,” grabbed up his duffel and backpack, and headed into the garage.
He hit the garage door release, and it rattled as it ascended into the ceiling. Fabrice strapped in her baby, her hand settling on his arm before she got inside. “Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Mr. Maddox.”
“Shark,” he said automatically, then, “You’re welcome, Mrs. Baptiste.”
“Fabrice,” she said with a soft smile. “Maddy is a lucky woman.” Her eyes filled, but she ducked her head and entered the vehicle while Benard made room in the back between Maddy’s luggage and his duffel and backpack.
